winter vehicles

“Ice Missile Law” In Effect

The “Ice Missile” is a common phenomenon in cold weather states. Ice and snow builds up on cars and trucks, then falls off while driving down the highway, resulting in a quick panic as drivers attempt to avoid getting struck. Earlier this year, Connecticut passed a law to go after these “Ice Missile” offenders, which requires people to remove all snow and ice from their vehicles before hitting the road. This can be especially difficult for truck drivers, however manufacturers are now producing tools to help remove ice from hard to reach areas, including the roof. Read the full story here:

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/01/18/connecticuts-ice-missile-law/4581121/

white gray blank Shuttle Bus

Business Owner Forces Drivers to Work Over Hours

The co-owner of Wisla Express, a transportation company, was accused of forcing his employees to drive over the hours allowed by federal safety regulations. The judge issued the harshest punishment allowable under a plea deal, which included a 2-year prison sentence and a $20,000 fine. Justice served.

Wisla Express will pay a $75,000 fine, but will continue to operate as a passenger transport company.

CDL

Truckers on Strike

The Vancouver Sun’s Peter Hall makes the case for truckers on strike. Basically, when truckers suffer, we all suffer. Read the full story here.

http://www.vancouversun.com/Opinion+should+care+about+truckers+strike/9578238/story.html

 

Truck Driver Myths

Myths About Truckers And Trucks

This is an interesting infographic that discusses common myths about trucks and truck drivers. According to data from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, in fatal crashes involving cars and trucks in 2009, the driver of the car was found to be at fault 81% of the time. In previous years, car drivers were consistently at fault more than 80% of the time. Driving school instructors hear a lot of complaints about truckers but truck drivers complain about car drivers as well. The biggest complain truckers have about car drivers involves keeping enough room between the car and the truck. Trucks can’t stop or maneuver as quickly as a car and car drivers need to make sure there is plenty of room before entering the lane ahead of a truck. As a car driver, you don’t have to respect the trucker but you better respect the truck! Read more: http://www.truckertotrucker.com/blog/the-american-trucker/

CDL

Preserve Technologies Could Save Truckers 11 cents per Mile

A new technology has been developed that will significantly reduce oil and fuel consumption in trucks and buses. The ONBOARD ECVD system is a refiner that enables trucks to save up to 11 cents on the mile, avoid oil disposal liabilities, preserve engine life and give us all a cleaner environment. See full story here.

http://askthetrucker.com/preserve-technologies-enables-fleets-to-cut-costs-and-improve-the-environment/

 

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Support Our Truckers

During catastrophes, it is truckers who deliver the life-saving supplies needed in devastated cities. When hurricanes and tornadoes rip through towns, it is the truckers who come with supplies, and truckers that transport out debris. During the coldest, darkest parts of winter, many states have propane shortages that result in emergency declarations, which are solved by the transporting efforts of, you guessed it, truckers. And, after the water was contaminated during the fiasco in West Virginia, it was truckers who delivered the life-sustaining bottled water to local residents.

Their much underrated duty deserves a spotlight, and local authorities need to understand the federal regulations in times of emergency, so these great Americans can do their job when we need them most. So, let’s stand beside our nation’s truckers, especially when disaster strikes… which seems to be happening a lot these days.

1024px-Reindeer_in_Posio

Glow-in-the-dark Roadkill Solution

Rudolph may have a bright nose, but reindeer in Finland are known to glow in the dark. Thanks to a newly developed reflective paint, the number accidents caused by road-crossing reindeer is sure to go down. Now available online, this accident-preventing paint may begin appearing in deer-saturated areas across the U.S., as well as on neighborhood pets prone to escaping into nearby roadways.

http://www.autoblog.com/2014/02/20/finnish-reindeer-glow-in-dark-accident-prevention/

 

Pop-Up Produce Stands: A Light at the End of the Truck Stop Food Tunnel

The long winter is coming to an end. Spring and summer are just around the corner, and some day very soon the fruit and vegetable growers will come out of hibernation, bringing oh-so-fresh food right up to the roadsides.

Don’t miss out on this seasonal horn of plenty. There will be homegrown tomatoes, peppers, avocados, cucumbers and squash – all of which taste great in the raw. Texas peaches are impossible to resist, Washington will be full of deliciously sweet apples, and California will be overflowing with a wide variety of berries, grapes, oranges and grapefruit.

After a long, cold driving season of greasy truck stop food, this fresh produce is sure to sooth the bowels, revitalize the mind and, you know, actually taste good.

So keep an eye out for the coveted produce stand as you drive down these well known interstates and highways:

Texas: US 281, US 77

California: I-5, US 99

Oregon: I-84

Washington: I-84, I-82, I-90, US-395

Michigan: US 31

Georgia: US 52

Florida: I-95, US 27

Alabama: US 90

Mississippi: US 49

highway funding

A Future Full of Potholes?

Drivers can expect to seriously struggle with potholes in the coming years. Unless someone steps up to the plate and provides big money for long-neglected roadway maintenance, the cracks and potholes will continue to get worse. The American Trucking Associations offered to pay a higher tax on diesel fuel to help fund road repairs, however many lawmakers want to lower taxes federally and let the states find funding through tolling and local sales taxes. Read the full story here:

https://www.thetrucker.com/News/Stories/2014/2/13/Congressmendiffergreatlyonraisingfueltaxes.aspx

 

Toll Roads

Truckers Vs. Toll Roads

An alliance has formed to fight against the hijacking of existing interstates by toll road-happy commissions.

Calling themselves The Alliance for Toll-Free Interstates, the list of members includes FedEx, UPS, Old Dominion, The American Trucking Associations, the Truckload Carriers Associations, Quality Transport, H&J Trucking, NATSO, and all 50 state trucking associations, among other business and consumer organizations. 

Tolling existing roads used to be illegal, however the federal ban expired last September.